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The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Pfizer are planning to set up a centre to address the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance in India. Pfizer has provided an initial grant of Rs 6.97 crore for this initiative, with a provision to scale up further as the programme expands.
Pfizer and ICMR have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for setting up the centre in New Delhi. The joint initiative will implement a series of interventions, ranging from AMR stewardship programmes for nursing homes, to scaling up the ongoing AMR surveillance network and creating awareness around responsible use of antibiotics. The Government of India views AMR as a key priority and in April 2017, it finalised country's National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (NAP-AMR).
The 'Centre to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance' will be a nodal point to launch interventions in the three areas of Stewardship, Surveillance and Awareness. It would expand ICMR’s Antimicrobial Stewardship Programme across the country in a phased manner. The prime focus would be to embark on an awareness and advocacy programme to share information on antibiotic resistance, promote rational use of antibiotics, encourage infection control techniques and organise conferences and awards to recognise best practices.
